Creative Fruit and Veg for Kids

Encourage children to enjoy a variety of fruits and vegetables by thinking outside the square.

By being a little creative with your preparation, you will be surprised how easy it is to encourage your children to enjoy fruits and vegetables.  Try these creative tips on your children:

• Make a delicious fruit smoothie with fresh fruit, some milk and yoghurt. 
  
• Make a delicious fresh fruit platter for breakfast, a snack or for dessert.
  
• Freeze fresh fruit by itself or mixed with yoghurt for a refreshing summer snack.
  
• Dice fresh fruit and keep in a container in the fridge so it is a quick convenient snack, this works great with fresh melon.
  
• Thread fresh fruit onto skewers and serve with yoghurt for a delicious and colourful snack.
  
• Serve chopped fresh vegetables with salsa or low fat dip for a healthy snack.
  
• Grow a vegetable garden if you have the space. This is great exercise and the whole family can enjoy the fresh vegetables straight from the garden.
  
• Grate vegetables into pasta sauces or homemade hamburger patties.
  
• Add vegetables such as carrot and zucchini to muffins and cakes.
  
• Thread vegetable pieces onto skewers with lean meat, chicken or tofu and grill or bbq.

Visit the Recipes section of Smart Eating For You for more recipes ideas for children.

An Accredited Practising Dietitian can provide more helpful tips to improve the variety in a child's diet as well as making sure that they are receiving all the important nutrients they need.